Airship.



T. KORNBRODT.

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T. KORNBRODT.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 28, 1909.

Patented June 28, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. KORNBRODT.

Patented June 28, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. KORNBRODT.

AIRSHIP. APPLIOATION FILED 0012s, 1969.

Patented June 28,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THEODORE KORNZBRDD'JI,4 0F CHICAGO, IILLINDIS.

AIB/SHIP.

associ.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 28, 1910.

Application area october 2s, 1909. serial No. 525,07*?.l

T o all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, Trmononn KoRNBnon'r, a Citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, .in the county ot' Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improveinmits in Airships` of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the acconnmnyingdrawings.

This invention relates to air ships and has for its object to provide a device of this character wherein a balloon is employed,

'said balloon being adapted to receive hot air, trom suitable means carried by the body of the ship. y

A further object is t'o provide an air directing tube centrally positioned and longitudinally extending` beneath the bag, a resilient steering element beingsuitably con-I nected to the rear end oit said tube and adapted to be directed by suitable steeringmeans carried by the ship, to direct the flight ot the air ship as may be desired by` the operator.

furthe-r object is to provide propellerS. arranged in the ends of the body of the ship, the shafts of said propellers being connected to the shafts of the propellers arranged in theair directingr tube, suitable engines being provided for driving said propellers, the heated air `f enerated by said engines being exhaiisted into the hot air han:

ll'lith these and other objects in view, the invention consists ol the novel construction, combiinition and arrangement. of parts hereinaitcr fully described and. claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying' drawings. in which Figure l is a side elevation ot an air ship constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig'. 3 is a rear end elevation; Fig. lis a view similar. lo Fig. 3 illustratingr a slightly modified form. VFig. is a detail section ot one end ot the air lube and propeller casing: Fig. t3 is a similar View of the. opposite end of ,the tube showing' thel connection ot the steering element.; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. Q illustratingl a. slightly modified form of the steering tube; and -Fig. 8 is top plan View thereore part-ly in section.

rllhe present invention has relation to that classer air ships, described and illustrated in Patent No. 866,665, issued to me Septembei' 2st, 1907, and is devised with a view to improving and simplifying the construction Y is arranged and secured.

'suspendedfrom the bag 5 by means of the therein illustrated, whereby agreater elliciency in the operation of the device may be attained. Y

In the above mentioned patent a gas bag was employed fronrwhich a car body of suitable construction was suspended, said bag having an air conducting tube dis osed longitudinally therethrough, and a suitable steering' element extending from the rear end of said tube, together with suitable means whereby said steering element is perated. In the present invention, ,instead of employing gas as the elevating medium for the ship, I preferably use hot air, to avoid explosions and operating expense incident to 'the use of gas in devices of this character. L

In carrying out the aim of the present invention I employ a hot airreeeiving bag 5, which as shown in Figf is o substantially semi-circular cross sectional .form and comprises a trame (3 upon which the covering 7 A car body 8 is rods or bars 9. Centrally and longitudinally disposed beneath the. air bag there is a tube l0. This tube is preferably formed of a heavy tlexible material and extends the entire length ot the bag and is supported there- Atrom by the hanger plates 1l which surround the tube and have their ends suitably secured to the bottom of the bag. Vt'ithin the tube 'l0 a spiral spring l2 isarranged, and has its` extremities secured adjacent to the ends of said tube. The ends of the tube l0 are formed with the annular flanges 13, and a tlexible air directing steering element la extends from the rear end of said tube. in each end ot' the. tnbe,a casing l5 of reduced diameter is positioned, the steerin element being disposed upon the outer en( thereof and against the flange A eircular clamping' plate 1.52 is disposed over the end ot the lube 14 and clamps the material between the tlange i3 and the plate. Suitable securing bolts 1G extend therethrough and securely retain the steering element in position. In each of the casings 15 spiders ln2 are arranged and are centrally formed lwith the bearings 17 t'o receive the 'pr0 peller shafts 18. Upon these shafts between.

the spiders, the propellers 19 are secured.

Upon the outer ends of the shafts 18 'belt' pulleys 18 are carried to receive the endless belt Q0 which extends to the shaft 21- of an engine 22 of any .preferred construction am di which is carried in each end of the car body. The shafts 21 extend exteriorly of the car body and have secured thereon the two bladed propellers 23. These propellers are adapted to propel the ship, and at the same time the propellers 19 are rotated within the ends of the tube 10. A blast of air is thus directed through the tube by the forward propeller and the rear propeller expels this air through the flexible tube 111 which comprises the steering elementi Within the tube 14, a spiral spring 24 isdisposed and is of such resiliency that the tube will be nor mally held in longitudinal alinement with the tube 10 and provide a direct passage for the air. The propeller casing in the for- Wardend of the tube 1() is secured in position by means of the bolts 16 which extend through the flange 13 and the flange 15 formed upon the casing.

A suitable steering means is provided for directing the resilient steering element. and comprises a plurality of ropes, cables, or similar elements 25, 26, 27, 28. These ropes extend over suitable guide rollers 29 carried by the air bag and have one of their ends secured to eyes which are formed upon an annular plate disposed about the outer end ot the flexible tubing 1l, the other ends of said ropes depending into the` car body Within convenient reach of the operator. It will be understood that any suitable means may be provided for manipulating these ropesA to direct the steering element. An opening 30 is provided in the tube 14 and casing 1.3 through which the driving belt 20 extends to the belt ulley 18.

In or er to provide suitable means for supplying the heated air to the bag 5, a plurality of alcohol or kerosene lamps-lO7 are arranged in the car body 8, and the air conductin tubes or cylinders 31 extend ,there from trough the bottom of the bag 5. The upper ends of these-tubes are provided with heads 32 which deflect the heatedair currents as they pass into the interior of the bag. Annuler reinforcing plates 33 are secured upon either side of the material of the bag at the point at which the tubes 31 are positioned therein. For the purpose of utiliizing the Waste heat generated by the eu gines 22, a short pipe 34 connects the exhaust of the engines with each of the end' tubes 31 thus insuring an adequate supply of heated air to the bag at all times. It will be obvious that if desired separate conducting tubes may be provided Wherebythe air from the engines may be carried directly into the bag.

in the operation of the air ship, the alcohol lamps are lighted and as the heated air rises within the tubes 31 and enters the bag, the,

buoyancy of the ship will gradually increase and elevate the device into the air. The en.- gines 22 are nbr; put into operation, and as the propellers 23 are rotated the machine eoaeee will be driven forwardly. A suitable reversing mechanism may also be provided for reversing the direction of movementof the ship. The propellers 19 are at the same time rotated to create a blast of air in the tube 10. As this air is exhausted at the rear end of the tube and expelled into the resilient steering element 1li by the propeller 19, upon the manipulation of the steering ropes or cables, the steering tube will be positioned above or below or laterally of the tube 10 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the course of the ship will continue in such direction. As

the bag 5 is provided with a lower plane sur-' face as shown at 5', the buoyancy of the machine is greatly increased and it will require but a small quantity of the heated air to keep the ship in an elevated position after it has started its flight. T hisbag may be made rigid or collapsible as desired. The hot airmay be introduced into the bag in any other desired manner than that which is above set forth. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a slightly modified 'torm of the resilient'steering element or tube, and the means Jfor conducting the aircurrents thereto.' ln this construction it will be noted that the centrally arranged air tube 10 is separated or branched at the torward end of the machine and provided with the circular casings 35.` lWithin each of these casin 1s a rotary'fanlQ is arranged and secure up'on opposite ends of a vtrans- 'verseshaft 36 journaled in the sidesof the casings. These fans are preferably of the form commonly known as Sirrocco fans, and comprise a plurality of wings or vanes secured between parallel circular heads. It will, howeverpbe obvious that any desired -form of fan may be utilized whereby the purposes in View may be attained. Extend ing forwardly from each of the casings 35 and outwardly thereof there is a tube 3G which may comprise a separate element or may be integrally formed with the casings. These tubes extend rearwardly ot the body ofthe ail-ship and are substantially funnel shaped or formed with the outwardly flared extremity 36 as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The rear end of the air conducting tube 10 is separated or branched as shown at 37. Each of these branches has its extremity inwardly or transversely directed and in com munication with a casing 35 similar to those arranged in the rear'end of the machine. A fan 19 is also rotatably mounted in euch of the casings andds adapted to expel the .air from the casings which is admitted thereto through the branch tubes 37, with suitable force into the flexible Asteering tube 14. rlhis tube is branched at its inner end as shown' at 14 and is connected to each of the casings 35. The steering tube is tapered or gradually reduced in diameter to its outer extremity to provide a contracted outlet..

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By means of this construction the air is gradually compressed in the tube before it Iis entirely expelled therefrom, considerably increasing its force and more etfectually accomplishing the steering function thereof. The tube is directed to steer the machine in the manner above set forth, and the rotary vfans 19 and 19a will also operate in a sinn- -forcibly directed through the longitudinal tube 10', and by providing the duplex fan in the rear. end thereof for discharging the air currents into the steering tube, the steering action is rendered extremely positive and sensitive to the slightest movement of the steering tube.

It will also be understood that many other minor modifications may be resorted to in the construction and arrangement of the several parts without materially departing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Vhile'I preferablyemploy hot air as the intlating mediuin for the bag in order to reduce the possibility of an accident to a minimum, it will be understood that gas may also be employed if desired and that the bag itself may be constructed in various forms to improve the attractive appearance of the machine as may be desired by the individual owner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In an air ship, an air bag, a tlexible tube extending longitudinally and centrally beneath said bae'. a car body suspended from said bag, propellers arranged in the end of said. body` means for rotating said propellers` a resilient steering element attached to the rear end of said tube, means connecting said tube and element, propellcrs arranged in the opposite ends of said tubes to direct an air blast therethrough. means cooperatively connecting the propellers in said tube with the propellers in the car body, and means carried by said car bod)v for filling said bag with hot air.

2. ln an air ship, an air bag having a plane bottom surface, an air chamber centrally and longitudinally arranged below said bag, propellers arranged in the opposite ends ol' said chamber, a flexible steering element secured to the rear end of said chamber, steering means adapted to direct said element, a car body suspended from said bag, propellers arranged in the opposite ends of, said body, means carried bv the car body for rotating said propellers, flexible connections between the propellers in said chamber and in said car body, a plurality of heat generating elements carried by said car body, and conducting tubes extending from said element into said air bag.

3. In an air ship, an air bag having a plane bottom surface, an air conducting tube extending centrally and longitudinally beneath said body and supported therefrom,l a flexible steering element secured to the rear end of said tube, a car body suspended from said bag, steering means carried by said car body and connected to said element to direct the same, propellers arranged `in the oppo-r site ends of said tube and adapted to direct an air blast therethrough, propellers arranged in the opposite ends of said car body, an engine in each end of said body adapted to simultaneously rotate said propellers, a plurality of heat generating elements carried by said car body, and means for conducting heated air generated by said elements into the air bag.

el. In an air ship, an air bag of substan tially semicircular cross sectional form, an air conducting tube extending centrally and longitudinally beneath said bag and supportcd therefrom, a car body suspended from said bag, a flexible steering element extend'- ing rearwardly of said body and in longitudinal alinement with said tube, propellers carried b v said car body, an engine located in each end ot' the body to rotate said propellers'. means arranged in the opposite ends* i ot' said tube for creating an air blast there'- through, said engine being adapted to simultaneousl)v aetuatc said means and propeller-s, a plurality of heat generating elements carried by said car body, tubes extending from said elements into the air bag and adapted to conduct the heated air thereto, and a connecting pipe extending from each of said engines to certain of the tubes to discharge the heated air from said engines intoA said tubes. i

in testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. THEODORE KORNBRODT. fitnesses lVM. STANLER, ALmrriNn KonNRoDT.

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